Fte maximal is a manufacturer company of equipment of reception, treatment and distribution of Radio, TV and Satellite signals, and it began its activity in 1965 in Muhlaken (Germany). The latest receiver from the company is Fte MAX S 600 HD CI, which has just arrived at our test centre.

The front panel of Fte MAX S 600 HD CI is very nicely displayed. The display shows not only numbers but also text. We can see the number and name of the channel we are tuned to or the title of the menu we are in. Of course, in standby mode, it shows the present time. Using six buttons located on the right side of the box can do quite a number of operations. Two CI slots are hidden behind a flap along with USB connector. Things get interesting when you turn the receiver around and explore the rear panel. Fte MAX has provided an impressive range of connectors on this unit The rear panel is equipped with IF input and output, HDMI interface for HD Ready TV-sets, YPbPr output for those who can not use HDMI, S/PDIF, RCA jacks and a TV SCART.

Remote control is well-shaped and has a good feel when you press a buttons. Fte MAX S 600 HD CI includes an installation assistant (Quick Setup) that will help you to set up the different parameters. When the receiver is turned is at first time, the next menu will be Quick Setup. Fte MAX S 600 HD CI is programmed with all the channels of Astra, Hotbird and Turksat satellites. English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Polish, Russian, Danish, Greek, Hungarian, Dutch, Arabic and Farsi languages are available for communication. language of OSD, preferred audio, subtitles and teletext including the second preferred choice. After setting languages, we move to antenna settings. It is really nice to see here all DiSEqC versions available from 1.0 to 1.3 (USALS). Different updated satellites from all over the world are pre-programmed and there is possibility to add more.

Fte MAX S 600 HD CI has two types of search, namely Single Search and Multi Search. You can set either FTA or ALL channels. This may be an important decision since we have only 4000 entries in the channel memory available. Different kinds of HDTV channels were found during our search and processed without any problem. Channel edit functions (delete, rename, move, lock and place in favourite) are quite efficient and comfortable. Channel surfing is very fast with Fte MAX S 600 HD CI. However, the most important thing for the owner of a HDTV receiver is the video quality the box provides. All CAM’s will work easily in the CI module. 2-slot DVB CI (Common Interface) allows for the addition of pay-TV cards, as these become available. EPG can work in 2 modes: either showing detailed programme guide for one channel or shortened guides for a number of channels at once. As usually, more information is available after pressing the Info button for the second and for the third time. Info bar timeout, as well as the transparency of the whole OSD can be adjusted in OSD Setting menu.

The receiver is DVB-S and DVB-S2 compatible. This means it can receive both the original and newer standard of digital satellite transmissions. DVB-S2 is claimed to improve reception by using better error correction and adaptive coding. It's a fusion of the consumer and professional digital satellite broadcasting methods and should mean a better quality of image. TV programmes on the Fte MAX S 600 HD CI may be sorted numerically, alphabetically, by TV or radio, satellite group or FTA (free-to-air). The parental lock option will let you prevent your child from watching any channels that may be unsuitable. Reception quality of Fte MAX S 600 HD CI was exceptionally good. The HD signal is very clear indeed. If you're an HD enthusiast, Fte MAX S 600 HD CI makes an extremely attractive proposition. The Fte MAX S 600 HD CI is another feature-packed receiver that will bring more HDTV channels to your TV room.